India Crumble Against English Spinners

NEW DELHI: With two days left, England look in full control of the second Test as they reduced India to 117/7 in their second innings after scoring 413 on the third day at the Wankhede stadium. Just before close Gautam Gambhir had reached his half century. After conceding 86-run lead, India got off to a poor start as they lost Virender Sehwag and the in-form Cheteshwar Pujara at the score of just 37.

England spinners Monty Panesar and Grame Swann spoiled India's start after the visitors were bowled out for 413. Monty Panesar first got rid of Virender Sehwag at the score of 30. Graeme Swann then capitalised on the early breakthrough and sent back Pujara by getting him caught by Bairstow.

While all eyes were on Sachin Tendulkar (8), the local man failed to rescue his side and became second victim of Panesar after meeting his first innings score. In the 21st over Swann struck again to send back Kohli reducing India to 65/4. After addition of 13 runs on board, Panesar scalped Yuvraj to leave India half down.

Skipper MS Dhoni was the sixth batsman to fall. Hi dismissal came at the score of 92 after India just crossed England total lead. Earlier, the Indian spin attack, led by Pragyan Ojha, captured eight England wickets to bowl out the visitors for 413 but the hosts conceded a lead of 86 runs.

England captain Alastair Cook notched up his second century, making 122 while his predecessor Kevin Pietersen hammered his way to 186 to put England ahead of India. England, who resumed at their overnight 178 for 2, were dismissed eight minutes before the scheduled tea forcing an early break to the proceedings.

Left-arm spinner Ojha was the pick of the Indian attack though he was punished a bit by Pietersen before having his revenge and had figures of 5 for 143, his second fifer in as many Tests. He was the stand-out bowler, though he got the stick from Pietersen who carted him for three out of the four sixes he struck.

Ashwin got the important breakthrough to end the double century stand between Cook and Pietersen by sending back the former before terminating the innings for figures of 2 for 145 while Harbhajan Singh, wicketless till his 21st over, got two in six balls to end up with 2 for 74.

England lost their last four wickets in a heap for the addition of just seven runs once wicketkeeper Matt Prior was run out at 406. Earlier, Cook was dismissed for 122, his 22nd Test hundred and second in as many innings, and Pietersen joined him in the number of Test centuries by blazing his way to 186 when he fell to Ojha for the third time in as many innings.

Cook departed when he edged hard-working off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who later caught Pietersen off Ojha in the second hour after lunch. Cook's departure before lunch triggered a collapse in which seven wickets fell. The two batsmen also put on a stand of 206 runs for the third wicket that helped England in large measure to surge past the Indian first innings total of 327.